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chixwithtrix

chixwithtrix

Addicted
Location
Houston
Thought this might be a fun discussion thread, what sort of bodyweight/cross training do you do?

I have a gym membership to take care of the weight lifting, but as far as working on ski-specific skills I bought a Bosu balance ball (half yoga ball) and a Yoga ball. Talk about a killer core and compound muscle group workout! I've been working up to one-leg squats on the Bosu ball. At first I could barely stand on it with two legs and not wobble. Getting there now and can easily balance on one leg and move around. Left leg is still weaker 4 months post knee surgery though.

I've been using them the last few weeks and I am seeing improved balance and ability to recover from slides/chop etc on the ski.

Outside of that I try to ride my mountain bike 3-4 times a week for cardio and a workout. Not really a 'home' workout, but the rowing machine at the gym is perfect too because it works the whole body.
 
Quinc

Quinc

Buy a Superjet
Location
California
Rowing machine and kettle bells at home. *Pro tip while doing your cardio or rowing hold your breath for 2-3 pulls or for x amount of feet while running or riding etc. Get you use to when you fall in the water and have to hold your breath.
 
user_error

user_error

Location
seattle area, Wa
I use an Indo balance board. Typically do squats on the board, then some simple arm and ab workouts afterwards for strength improvement.

While strength is definitely beneficial, endurance is a much more useful trait in racing. Road bikes and running will do more your your ability to finish a race than getting the arms and legs all toned up. The last laps of a race really prove this. You can be as strong as all hell, but if you're winded by lap 5 you will get passed by someone with the endurance needed to go all 8 laps.

A healthy balance of both is the key to success but if i had to direct a focus on one or the other (ex. 65/35 or 70/30 split) I would choose to focus more on endurance.
 
chixwithtrix

chixwithtrix

Addicted
Location
Houston
Quinc said:
Rowing machine and kettle bells at home. *Pro tip while doing your cardio or rowing hold your breath for 2-3 pulls or for x amount of feet while running or riding etc. Get you use to when you fall in the water and have to hold your breath.
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Interesting thought. I was on the varsity swim team in high school and always used to make fun of the runners since we swam 4 miles most days and couldn't breathe every stroke. Damn I wish I had the lung strength I did back then.
user_error said:
I use an Indo balance board. Typically do squats on the board, then some simple arm and ab workouts afterwards for strength improvement.

While strength is definitely beneficial, endurance is a much more useful trait in racing. Road bikes and running will do more your your ability to finish a race than getting the arms and legs all toned up. The last laps of a race really prove this. You can be as strong as all hell, but if you're winded by lap 5 you will get passed by someone with the endurance needed to go all 8 laps.

A healthy balance of both is the key to success but if i had to direct a focus on one or the other (ex. 65/35 or 70/30 split) I would choose to focus more on endurance.
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You are correct, but being female I have a natural strength deficit compared to y'all men. Just maneuvering the ski takes work, so I strength train a lot. And it burns great calories to knock off the winter weight, I'm not working out just for jet skiing. Only 4 months post op knee surgery I'm still strengthening my knee too.

Road bikes around here are dangerous, no where to ride, but the mountain bike trails are pretty awesome when we hit them up. Running is a no go, after surgery in both my knees and back I can't take the impact. Indo boards are pretty sweet, used to mess with a friend's when I was into kiteboaridng. Might be worth picking one up again! I like the Bosu ball a lot since it is balance in 360 degrees, but has a bit more resistance than the Indo board.
 
37

37

Precipitation Hardened
Location
Indy
Rowing machine. It's 60~70% legs and low impact, which it sounds like you need. The rest of the stroke takes back and arms in that order. Proper rowing stroke goes legs>back>arms on the drive and arms>back>legs on the recovery.

Rowing also builds cardio like nothing else. Cardio is king in racing or running buoys with friends.

Balance will happen with more time on your ski. I've been riding/racing since I was 11, and that's almost 30 years ago. My balance is impeccable by this point. An Indo board can't hurt though. They're pretty fun. Waves are more dynamic and I've yet to find anything equal to actual tray time.

chixwithtrix said:
...but being female I have a natural strength deficit compared to y'all men.
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Don't psyche yourself out. Being female is irrelevant. I've taught a handful of female friends/girlfriends and every one of them had enough balance and strength to ride my skis. Granted, a few of them shot my mods and superstocks out from underneath them by grabbing too much throttle, but that's in part my fault for not having stock skis. :)

Edit: nomenclature
 
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chixwithtrix

chixwithtrix

Addicted
Location
Houston
Oh of course, I do the rowing machine a lot, but that is at the gym to no home option unless I want to fill my tiny apartment with an expensive machine hahah. I've also crewed before, definitely all in the technique. I'm currently bored at work and just idly interested in what others do and maybe get ideas.

Nothing replaces time on the ski. But since life and work are in the way of that ;) working out is the next best thing. Back to the Bosu/Yoga ball thing, uhmayzeballs the improvement I've seen in the last two weeks. Seriously if you are looking to take the training up a notch it is a cheap way to absolutely torch your core. My core used to be pretty effed from the back surgery, finally getting back to where I want it.

As far at the female thing, one of my biggest pet peeves of being a woman. My husband doesn't work out or anything and we are similar height, but is SO much stronger than myself and I work out almost every day. Tit for tat I just don't have the chemicals to be man strong lol.

Racing at World Finals last year was an eye opener. No matter how much I trained all year, nothing compared to riding in chop. Over and over and over.
 
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37

37

Precipitation Hardened
Location
Indy
Buying a rowing machine for home/apartment could be a challenge. I didn't catch that you wanted something at home. If you've rowed before then it might be worth finding a local rowing club to sweep or scull. I'd take that over a gym any day, especially if I lived in a warmer climate like TX.

I'll have to look into a Bosu ball again. One of my local friends had one to train for wake skating and we'd use our skates on it like an Indo. He moved and I forgot all about it. Thanks for the memory jar. :)

I get your point on being a woman. Most men are wired for strength, hunting/gathering, protection, etc. so it probably is a bit easier for us. Others are wired to eat chips on the couch. At least you aren't a couch potato. ;) But, I've met a few women into strength training and crossfit and a couple of them made me look like I needed to work out more. There has to be a balance! :D
 
chixwithtrix

chixwithtrix

Addicted
Location
Houston
Yeah some chicks are...yikes.

I've been teetering on trying out crossfit or not, there is one right up the street from my work. I go to the normal gym with coworkers over our lunch hour so I don't mind it, that is time I'd otherwise be sitting playing on my phone anyway. Part of me still kind of rolls my eyes at crossfit, but the other part respects the HIIT is perfect for skiing. I just worry about all my joint ailments.
 
Quinc

Quinc

Buy a Superjet
Location
California
chixwithtrix said:
Yeah some chicks are...yikes.

I've been teetering on trying out crossfit or not, there is one right up the street from my work. I go to the normal gym with coworkers over our lunch hour so I don't mind it, that is time I'd otherwise be sitting playing on my phone anyway. Part of me still kind of rolls my eyes at crossfit, but the other part respects the HIIT is perfect for skiing. I just worry about all my joint ailments.
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x-fit is great, you just need to know what you can and cannot do, and when to stop even when everyone is cheering you on to do 10 more..

Or if you want to hit the pinnacle of strength/endurance build up to where you can squat 1-1.5x your body weight 30+ times and then hit the stairmaster for 20 minutes.
 
CRJ

CRJ

Hibernating
Location
Toronto
i found deadlifts and squats helped my riding stamina big time. Now that I think about it i need to get back into that routine.
 
King Kang

King Kang

Never enough tray time...
Location
Cary, NC
chixwithtrix said:
Oh of course, I do the rowing machine a lot, but that is at the gym to no home option unless I want to fill my tiny apartment with an expensive machine hahah. I've also crewed before, definitely all in the technique. I'm currently bored at work and just idly interested in what others do and maybe get ideas.

Nothing replaces time on the ski. But since life and work are in the way of that ;) working out is the next best thing. Back to the Bosu/Yoga ball thing, uhmayzeballs the improvement I've seen in the last two weeks. Seriously if you are looking to take the training up a notch it is a cheap way to absolutely torch your core. My core used to be pretty effed from the back surgery, finally getting back to where I want it.

As far at the female thing, one of my biggest pet peeves of being a woman. My husband doesn't work out or anything and we are similar height, but is SO much stronger than myself and I work out almost every day. Tit for tat I just don't have the chemicals to be man strong lol.

Racing at World Finals last year was an eye opener. No matter how much I trained all year, nothing compared to riding in chop. Over and over and over.
Click to expand...

In your videos, it's pretty clear that you've got a solid fitness routine- you look like a strong person. A pro racer I know, as part of his routine, does an insane amount of lunges and planks. I can't remember, but I think he might do 400 lunges per day- the dude makes cutting buoys look effortless. Those two exercises might help you prepare your core strength. Good luck!
 
chixwithtrix

chixwithtrix

Addicted
Location
Houston
The last few weeks I fell off the horse, fkn work is getting to me and I only made it to the gym twice. That an my SXR is running like shyte so I might be competing on a superjet this season haha.

Going to pick it back up with renewed vigor this week. My left leg muscles are almost the same size as my right. So nice to see/feel progress.

400 lunges, jeez. I did 120 with 20lbs weight one day and I was DONE. Went back to work and almost fell walking up the stairs. It is the simple things that work though!
 
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